AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republicans have advanced multiple bills that would make voting in the state more difficult for some. The bills, proposed Sunday, would prohibit 24- hour polling places, ban drop boxes and stop drive-thru voting.
The timeline is pushing some Democratic lawmakers toward calling for a second walkout to again stop restrictions from moving forward like they did in May when Democrats broke quorum.
Texas is among several states with GOP controlled statehouses where Republicans have rushed to enact strict voting laws in response to former President Donald Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Governor Abbott is defending the Republicans' proposals.
"We are providing more hours per day for voting to make sure that anybody of any type of background, any type of working situation, is going to have the opportunity to go vote," said Governor Abbott.
Republicans revived proposals would also further tighten rules for voting by mail, strengthen access for partisan poll watchers and ban local election officials from sending out applications to request mail in ballots.
A first major vote on the proposals is expected this week.
